Chloe Smith: Making work pay is key to social mobility in Norwich

Norwich MP Chloe Smith this week met with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to discuss how best to tackle poverty in our society. The Foundation will be launching their new comprehensive anti-poverty strategy later this year, which argues that both the private and public sector have a role to play in preventing poverty and promoting prosperity.

 

Commenting on the meeting, Chloe said:

 

“Locally I have made it a priority of mine to boost social mobility in Norwich. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, who are well known for their reputation in this field. Poverty and life chances are big issues which affect the whole of Norwich, so with the City Council and many others we need to work together, across party, across government and across the public, private and charity sectors if we are to secure the best future for our children here in Norwich.”

  

Chloe recently launched a major campaign to confront the social mobility shortfall in Norwich, following the publication of a report suggesting a child from a poor background would have lower life chances here than elsewhere in England. Locally, Chloe is preparing to host a roundtable of local and regional MPs, Council Leaders, Head Teachers, the Bishop of Norwich, the Vice Chancellor of UEA, the Job Centre and the Local Enterprise Partnership. 

 

Chloe has argued that every child in Norwich, whatever their background, should have the knowledge, skills, confidence and networks to succeed. Her social mobility campaign builds on the success of the Norwich for Jobs project, founded during the last parliament, which has helped to halve youth unemployment in our city. She has also taken up the battle in Parliament, calling a debate on the report, putting questions to Ministers, and regularly meeting with experts in the field.   

 

On making work pay, Chloe added:

 

“One of the key reforms this Government is introducing is the National Living Wage, due to be rolled out next month. Ensuring work pays is fundamental in the fight against poverty. Someone currently on the minimum wage will see their pay rise by a third over the course of this Parliament. At the same time, the new Universal Credit system will ensure it always pays to go out to work, and raising the income tax personal allowance to £11,000 will allow all of us to keep more of the money we earn. I also welcome the significant increases in childcare support available for working parents will also make it easier to combine work with raising a family.”